The 10 Most Imaginative Little Free Libraries in America

From robots to rockets, the builders of these pint-size book holders bring some serious creativity to their literary efforts.

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10. The Owl

Is this owl-shaped Little Free Library filled with scary Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe novels? Only the residents of the Atlanta neighborhood where the spooky book box is located know for sure.

(Photo: Laura Di Panfilo/Instagram)

9. The Castle

Get ready to read some books on the Tudors and the Plantagenets—or perhaps a tome about the creators of 125-year-old Castle Marne in Denver. This Little Free Library is a replica of the mansion, which is now a fancy bed-and-breakfast.

(Photo: Little Free Library/Instagram)

8. The Black Cat

The legacy of a neighborhood stray cat named Oliver lives on forever at this Little Free Library in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. It was designed and built by local artist and carpenter “Wowzy.” There was a happy ending for Oliver too. A local family took the kitty in.

(Photo: Liz Dwyer)

7. The Schoolbus

The wheels on the bus go round and round—and lead you to a book. At least that’s the idea the students at Carrollton Junior High School in Carrollton, Ga., had for this yellow schoolbus Little Free Library.

(Photo: Alison Hibbard/Twitter)

6. The Twister

In 2011, a series of tornadoes and storms tore down Pomeroy Street in Wilbraham, Mass., bringing together the neighborhood. This Little Free Library recalls how the community united after the severe weather while also honoring the city’s longtime librarian, Jane Gebeau.

(Photo: Bookus Binder/Flickr)

5. The 826LA

Not all the books being traded at Little Free Libraries are written by adults. Students who participate in the creative programs at 826 Los Angeles regularly write and publish their own books to help stock the one in the Mar Vista neighborhood.

(Photo: Little Free Library/Twitter)

4. The Rocket Ship

Ready to blast off with a book? Students at Rocky Branch Elementary in Watkinsville, Ga., designed and built a rocket-shaped Little Free Library. The kids collected donated books and organized a fair at which the entire school could come and give or take something to read.

(Photo: Little Free Library/Instagram)

3. The Surf Mobile

San Diego resident Susan Halliday always wanted a Volkswagen bus, so her husband designed and made her the next best thing: a Little Free Library shaped like one. The surfboard handle gives it a sweet California touch.

(Photo: Little Free Library/Instagram)

2. The Robot

It looks high-tech, but this robot-shaped Little Free Library in Houston holds more than tomes on science and engineering. Owner Glen Pangle says, “It has a top shelf for fiction and nonfiction and a bottom shelf for children and young adults.”

(Photo: Little Free Library/Twitter)

1. The Movie Theater

This Little Free Library in Atlanta has the right idea. From Harry Potter to The Hunger Games, it’s always better to read a book before you see the movie on the silver screen.

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A cool-looking library can make even the most reluctant reader want to curl up with a modern mystery novel or a Jane Austen classic. But with its “take a book, return a book” mantra, the Little Free Library movement has managed to foster literacy while also building community.

Since the first Little Free Library was built in Wisconsin back in 2009 by Todd Bol, the thousands of tiny literary boxes that have popped up around the globe have often reflected the creativity of their builders. From rockets to robots, here are 10 of the most imaginative Little Free Libraries in America.

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TakePart is the digital news and lifestyle magazine from Participant Media, the company behind such acclaimed documentaries as CITIZENFOUR, An Inconvenient Truth, and Food, Inc. and feature films including Lincoln and Spotlight.